This invention relates to the adaption of an adjustable wrench to permit it to be used as a hammer, screwdriver, ruler and caliper, wire stripper, "T" handle, square face, and adjustable square.
In many mechanical occupations, adjustable wrenches are among the principal tools utilized. Adjustable wrenches allow a mechanic to work on a piece of machinery with only one wrench rather than a complete wrench set. The nature of many mechanical tasks is such that it is necessary to hammer on the machinery to either fit a piece into place or to dislodge a piece of the machinery, and for many years mechanics have used the heads of their adjustable wrenches as hammers to avoid the necessity of carrying an additional tool. Frequently, other tools such as screwdrivers or measuring instruments are also needed and it would be a great convenience for mechanics if all these tools were combined into one implement.
Other attempts to manufacture combination tools based upon an adjustable wrench have been made and, in particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,987, pointed out that the structure of the head of an adjustable wrench is not well suited for use as a hammer head. This is primarily because the screw adjustment passage that is formed in the head opens through the crown portion of the head, which portion is most conveniently located for use as a hammer face. The solution adopted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,987 involves the addition of a hammer head on the crown portion of the wrench head. Although this structure protects the screw adjustment passage, it also adds mass and a significant protrusion from the wrench head, thereby making it impossible to utilize the wrench in some close fitting situations.